Forty years ago, New Jersey officials promised to clean up an environment tainted by generations of dirty industry and illegal dumping. Yet the contamination persists. The state has more than 20,000 contaminated sites, including the most Superfund sites in the nation. Many sit untouched year after year because of government inertia and court battles with polluters.

In North Jersey, contamination is all around us: Toxic chemicals have spread under entire neighborhoods and high-rises have been built atop pollution. Two of our rivers are Superfund sites. Contamination has sickened residents and damaged property values. It's a disturbing fact of life in Bergen and Passaic counties.

Toxic Landscape is The Record's ongoing effort to track the pollution and its impact on our environment. With the interactive map below, you can find contaminated sites near you, and get information about the status of attempts to clean them up.

Visit and link to this page often for newly mapped sites, stories, images and other updates.

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The Record's continuing coverage of contaminated sites in Northern New Jersey